title: [Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients aged less than 18 years old: our experience].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is scant information on the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in patients under 18.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze our experience in all patients under 18 who underwent ERCP.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective study of all ERCP conducted in patients under 18 between 1993 and 2006. We analyzed indications, endoscopic and radiologic findings, diagnostic and therapeutic success, and complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 31 patients who underwent 36 ERCP in total. The mean age was 9.89 +/- 5 years old. We used general anesthesia in 58.3% (21 patients), with a mean age of 8 +/- 5 years. The most frequent indications were complications after liver transplantation in 33.3% (12 patients), suspicion of biliary obstruction in 27.7% (10 patients), and pancreatitis in 22.2% (8 patients). We achieved cannulation and repletion in the selected duct in 94.4%. The most frequent pathologic findings were changes in the biliary tract after liver transplantation in 25% (9 patients). The results of ERCP were normal in 10 patients (27.7%). Therapeutic maneuvers were indicated in 17 out of the 34 (50%) examinations considered, achieving therapeutic success in 76.47% (13/17). Complications consisted of hemorrhage after simple sphincterotomy in one patient (2.8%) and mild pancreatitis in two patients (5.6%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found ERCP to be a safe procedure with a high diagnostic and therapeutic success rate, and a low rate of early complications.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Aparato Digestivo, Hospital Universitario Reina Sofía, Córdoba, España. dracerez@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cerezo-Ruiz
authors.forename: Luis Leonardo
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Casáis-Juanena
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Naranjo-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Antonio José
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hervás-Molina
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valle García-Sánchez
authors.forename: Antonio Angel
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Reyes-López
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Galilea
authors.forename: Benigno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Calero-Ayala
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Ruiz
authors.forename: Juan Francisco
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: de Dios-Vega
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001649:Bile Duct Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies